What does your garden look like ... Today?

[Meadowlark]

Angel's trumpet and cone flowers...continuous blooms all summer long even in Texas heat and humidity. Impressive to me.

 

[Meadowlark]

First there was one giant swallowtail feasting on lantana blooms...

and then along came its partner...

and then along came a spectacular Gulf Fritillary to join the party...but alas I wasn't quick enough on the camera.

 

[Meadowlark]

Most will be gone by the end of September but the very last ones will still be here until about mid-October.

@JBtheExplorer ...the first sighting of a Monarch butterfly today on milkweed. I ran to get a camera but when I came back it was gone. Hopefully it will give me another chance.

The is by far the earliest Monarch sighting on Meadowlark ranch in 1/2 century.

I wonder if it means an early fall...or maybe just me being more attentive.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

@JBtheExplorer ...the first sighting of a Monarch butterfly today on milkweed. I ran to get a camera but when I came back it was gone. Hopefully it will give me another chance.

The is by far the earliest Monarch sighting on Meadowlark ranch in 1/2 century.

I wonder if it means an early fall...or maybe just me being more attentive.

If you don't already have any, I recommend planting Button Blazing Star (Liatris aspera). Just like my Meadow blazing star it's an absolute monarch magnet and is probably native to your general area. It makes them easy to photograph too because once they find it they'll hang out for a while.

 

[Meadowlark]

If you don't already have any, I recommend planting Button Blazing Star (Liatris aspera).

Thank you for that tip. Looks like the bulbs are available only for spring planting.

I ordered a couple of packets of seeds, and I'll try to get them started as soon as I get them.

 

[Sheal]

The Erica's are coming into their own right now...

A young Fuchsia 'Hawkshead'

Cotoneaster

My neighbour's fruit hanging over the garden wall.

 

[Meadowlark]

I definitely would pick that fruit!

 

[Sheal]

That was a quick response Meadowlark, I've only just hit the post button.

It's tempting...we call it scrumping here, when the fruit we take isn't ours.

The annoying thing is I have a large pear tree in my own garden, but Jackdaws cleared it of fruit just as it started to develop.

 

[Meadowlark]

We call it a gift.

 

[gary350]

No rain garden is very dry. Cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, beans, melons need water. Someone gave me some pepper seeds, name is very long 10 or 12 letter name I can't spell or pronounce, peppers grow long in clusters like grapes. Peppers are killer Hot, too hot for me. Egyptian onions are looking good. I picked 1 Carman pepper and 5 tomatoes today. I pick very selective Zinnia seeds every other day. My Tabasco plant finally grew larger it has good flavor & almost too hot to eat. Melon seeds I tossed down in a hurry like I don't care if they grow, they all grew a 30' row. LOL.

 

[Meadowlark]

Success

 

[gary350]

Today 2 ripe cucumbers, 7 more almost ripe, hope to have 400 ripe by Oct 31. Another 10 gallons of Bread & Butter pickles = lots of pickle relish for hot dogs & potato salad. Murfreesboro TN.

 

[Meadowlark]

If you don't already have any, I recommend planting Button Blazing Star (Liatris aspera). Just like my Meadow blazing star it's an absolute monarch magnet and is probably native to your general area.

I planted some Gayfeather Dense Blazing Star (Liatris Spicata) in a large container hoping to get some blooms before frost. I'll get some bulbs for next spring.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I planted some Gayfeather Dense Blazing Star (Liatris Spicata) in a large container hoping to get some blooms before frost. I'll get some bulbs for next spring.

I've got a few around my pond and mailbox. Not a big monarch attractor but the bees do enjoy them! Sometimes I see red admirals on them too!

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Year-one Canada milk vetch is establishing well! I've planted maybe half a dozen of them around my gardens. Can't wait to see them bloom next summer!

Frost aster

Prairie dock